The Twilight of the Gods
by yunaaaaa
Summary: Twilight: n. A period or state of obscurity, ambiguity or gradual decline. / A not – so – peaceful distress call from the Gods of Egypt. Sadie disappeared on her sixteenth birthday. A ghostly empire rising within the depths of the Duat. Yeah, just an ordinary day for me and my sister. *Not related to Twilight in any way.


**The Twilight of the Gods**

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**SUMMARY: **A not – so – peaceful distress call from the Gods of Egypt. Sadie disappeared on her sixteenth birthday. A ghostly empire rising within the depths of the Duat. Yeah, just an ordinary day for me and my sister.

**DISCLAIMER: **I own nothing, lovelies! :)

* * *

**Chapter 1 – I Missed a Kiss from Death Boy**

**~SADIE~**

Hullo, Sadie Kane here.

My brother is generous enough to hand me the bloody microphone. Like I said before, my brother is a rubbish storyteller. But we'll leave him alone first, while he gets all flustered around Zia, yes? [Hey, stop pinching, Carter! Okay, he said he wasn't getting all flustered around her, but – why are your ears getting red, brother?] I fear another Doomsday worms its way from the Duat, but I assure you, it's not a vengeful serpent. It started on the night before my sixteenth birthday.

Usually, _ba _dreams tend to frighten the living daylights off me. But when your _ba _is pulled by a certain god, I do believe those change matters. His warm – chocolate eyes stared at me, twinkling in amusement. He stood in the middle of a courtyard, probably outside the Hall of Judgment, with burning wooden torches, humming hieroglyphics and the scent of vanilla candles was filling the air. He wore a black muscle shirt, black jeans and his black leather duster and combat boots and the _shen_ amulet gleamed under the orange tinge of the torches. His hair tousled in the most adorable way, as if he just woke up from his slumber. _Anubis. Lovely._

His eyes were unnerving. Am I in my chicken form? That is highly unacceptable and I can tell, by his eyes, that something is off. I just couldn't point out _what._

I frowned at him. "Do I look like poultry to you?"

He smiled, with his annoying lopsided grin, and my heart fluttered. "Great to see you, too, Sadie. And no, you are not in your chicken form, as you phrased it." I smiled back, as he held out his soft hand and touched mine, though I was certain his hand will go through mine because it's my _ba _in there. It didn't. Anubis gently pulled me from the spot I was standing on, and wrapped his arms around me. "I'll be lying if I say I did not miss how exasperating you are." He nuzzled my hair for a moment, and I felt a wide grin spreading on his lips. I wrapped my arms around him, and pulled him tightly.

"I know. I'm pretty hard to ignore." I said, and I earned a soft, melodious chuckle, and I tried to remember what is breathing. "Where's Walt?"

"He gave me time." He answered, and he inwardly winced. Why, I have no idea. "Besides, we are in the Duat, and I appear as Anubis. Walt says he will be spending time with you tomorrow back at home, but this _ba _never gives you justice. I did miss you, Sadie."

"You're going home tomorrow?!" I asked, confused. Being the host of Anubis, Walt had been constantly away, carrying Anubis' deathly duties in the Duat with my father, who is, by the way, hosting Osiris, God of the Underworld, and that didn't sit too well and I missed the both of them terribly. Few months ago, they were hardly home in Brooklyn. They would appear, probably for breakfast or dinner, and suddenly disappear again without a moment's notice. I should probably be so cross with them, but with the way Anubis held me close, I find my anger melting into my shoes.

"Why wouldn't we?" Anubis murmured, the steady rumbling of his chest as he spoke comforted me. "It's your birthday." He pulled back, and he smiled, but it didn't reach his eyes and I am too certain he was hiding something. Why do I get the feeling it's something _dreadful_?

"What's wrong?" I asked, staring at his gorgeous chocolate eyes, and his smile faded. His arms loosened by a fraction around me, and I found him staring at the marble floor, as if it was the most fascinating thing that ever existed. [Carter says the marble floor was less annoying and more appealing to stare at than me. There, a pinch.] I nudged him slightly with my hand, and Anubis shook his head. "Sadie, I'm sorry." He said, his gaze wary as he stared back. "You were not supposed to learn of this mess. Not on your birthday. Osiris – your Father – made it perfectly clear to me not to say anything. Also, it's as if I had been performing a load of funerals than I did in the thousand years I lived."

Anubis smirked a little, but the humor was long gone when his lips were set on a hard line. "You immediately saw through my defenses." He whispered, as he pulled me close. "And I don't know why but I love you for that." I blushed, albeit light, and I was thankful he wasn't seeing how red my cheeks were. But I wasn't going to let him off the hook, now, am I? I shivered as the landscape started to ripple, my hand becoming less transparent than it used to be and I grasped him by the hand. I don't think I am waking up. Yet. "So, what's wrong?" I pressed. "You wouldn't be so distressed if there's nothing wrong, Anubis. Tell me."

He grimaced before he led me on one of the benches at the end of the courtyard, created out of mummy linen. "The Gods of Egypt." He answered straightforwardly. "We are weakening, and we have no clue as to why. Some had already disappeared without a trace, even those 'major' Gods, as you call them. Lord Osiris feared that we may disappear as well. Thus, he kept me and the other Gods of judgment working these months."

_That_ does not sound good. Not at all. I suddenly felt a sickening fear worming its way in my system.

"Weakening, you say." I said, raising an eyebrow. "Like getting sick?" Anubis turned up his palms, frustrated, as if he didn't know. The courtyard rippled once more, and Anubis' image becomes a blur, the colors merging into one, then back again. The frown on his face and the crease between his brows were evident, and I must say, it doesn't suit him. Really. He gave me a mournful look, and took my hands in his, gripping them tightly, as if it were his lifeline. Funny, the irony. I gingerly craned my head to the side, and half of my body had already disappeared.

_Bloody Gods of Egypt._

"I couldn't hold on to you much longer." He said, fleeting anger and distraught crossed his face. His face was strained as he kept on trying to keep me here with him for a little longer. He touched my face lightly. "I'll see you soon, Sadie. Happy birthday." Anubis slowly leaned in, and even before his lips reached mine, my _ba _was sent back to my body. How disappointing. Really, disappointing. [Carter here, for a moment. Missed a kiss? Really, Sadie? That should be the least of your worries!]

I awoke with a heart beating too fast, as if I have run a marathon. I was back in my room, staring limply on my ceiling, breathing heavily. That was one of the _most _disturbing _ba _dreams I ever had. What did Anubis say? The Gods are weakening and the distraught look in Anubis' face says everything. This is bad. I glanced at the clock, and it was only three in the morning. Without a second thought on my messed up pajamas or tousled hair, I raced through Brooklyn House's quiet hallways and knocked frantically on Carter's room. It took three attempts of frantic knocking before I heard his feet shuffling against his carpeted floor. I do say that my brother is a heavy sleeper.

"I do hope you have a good reason for waking me up, Sadie Kane." He murmured groggily. "Even if it is your birthday. Happy birthday, by the way." He yawned loudly as I entered into his room without his permission and he scowled at me. Plopping myself on his bed, and sat crossed – legged, Carter followed suit. He must have read my expression, and he suddenly looked fretful. "Sadie." Carter started, one of his eyebrow raised in bewilderment.

"Look, I know you should be cross at me for meeting Anubis this late but –" His scowl immediately intensified, and his brotherly protectiveness decided to wake up and resurface from its hiding place.

"Okay, rewind." He said. "You were with Anubis? Why were you with Anubis?! It's hardly dawn and –" I rolled my eyes.

"In a _ba_ dream, brother dear. Nothing to worry about. Walt's going home, by the way." I said, cutting him off while I smiled slyly and he shrugged. [Home, as in Brooklyn House. Duh.] "Moving on. Anubis said something about the Gods of Egypt. They are, as we speak, weakening, and some had already disappeared without a trace. As if they have never existed. Regrettably, they have no clue why." Carter paled as I spoke. I told him how strained Anubis was when he pulled me into a _ba _dream, and how difficult it was for him to hold on while in the dream. The fear that was in me probably doubled. If Anubis was weakening, how is Osiris – our Dad – holding? They wouldn't disappear into nothing, right?

Carter dipped his head lowly, as if he was in deep thought. "If the Gods are weakening, then our magic –" I suddenly had a realization. Of course, those who follow the path of Gods will weaken, as well. Duh, logic. Does that explain my messed – up commands and spells over the past few months, like creating a tiny chip on the plate, rather than completely destroying it in pieces when I tried _Ha – di_? Or how I couldn't clean up the initiates' mess during mealtimes, training and war games with _Hi – nehm_? Okay, this is not good. "Must also be weakening, Carter." I managed to finish.

"Then why did we notice it now? Why not a bit sooner?" I asked, crestfallen. So much for a welcoming gift on my sixteenth birthday. Yippee. Carter shook his head. He didn't know, then how will I know? Carter is supposed to be the smart, nerd one. Not me. His lips were in a grim line, and I felt stunned. "How about Dad? Or Anubis? What will happen to them? They just can't disappear as easy as a flick of a finger, right?"

"It's the twilight of the Gods, Sadie." He murmured after a few heartbeats. "And unless we find and do something, the Gods _might _die."

It was my turn to actually pale. Deathly pale. Carter placed a hand on my shoulder and gave a reassuring squeeze. His eyes were tainted with regret, and he shook his head reverently. I have never been this nervous and wrecked ever in my life. Battling evil serpents and crazy demons were much, much easier than having to deal with my disappearing boyfriend. I couldn't stomach another shot of my Dad being swallowed again in a sarcophagus, never to be seen again. "Did Anubis say anything else?" Carter asked. I shook my head. I missed a kiss, too. "Look, Sadie. I'm sorry. This was not supposed to happen, especially now, well, unless –"

"Unless?"

"Humans forget about the Gods. Ignore the Gods. Pay no respect to them. Destroy their places of worship. Those kinds of things. You do remember Sunny Acres, where Gods just disappear?"

I stared at him incredulously. The Gods survived when magicians created spells against them, didn't they? For ages, the House of Life refused to walk the path of Gods, and just three years ago, we opened Brooklyn House for those who follow the path of Gods. I wished I could tell you that Anubis is wrong, which rarely happens. [No, never happens, right?] But there is a strange quality in his voice that told me otherwise. What if everything born must die, one way, or another? What if they weren't as immortal as we think?

"Carter, 'major' Gods are disappearing! They might as well be dying, too!" I exclaimed, suddenly angry. I can't take it if Anubis, along with Walt, or Dad, even Bast or Bes disappear or _die._

"Or magic, keeping them, I don't know. Vulnerable. Invisible to the world." Carter murmured, trying to lighten my dampened mood. "Something, a force maybe, or _someone _might be banishing them deeper into the Duat and they couldn't get out of it. This might upset the balance between Chaos and Order, too. If it's the latter, then–"

I nodded. "We save them, naturally."

* * *

Carter was guilty. Obviously. He kept on apologizing for raining down on my parade, my birthday. And so were Walt and Anubis.

As soon as I was done chatting with my brother, it was already five in the morning. My brother couldn't sleep after everything I have told them, so he just showered and dressed and marched into his scrying bowl. Probably finding comfort from Zia from the First Nome. She was hardly in the Brooklyn House, too, and I know my brother well enough that he didn't like the distance, no matter how he tried to hide it. [Come on, Carter, you're an open book.] While he wallows in our newfound crisis, I trudged the hallway to my bedroom, feeling exhausted and overwhelmed.

So much for my sixteenth birthday.

Opening the door, I saw Walt standing beside my bed, finding my iPod extremely appealing as he scrolled through the endless songs. From the corner of his eye, he saw me, and gently placed back the iPod beside the speaker. "Hey, you." Walt said, smiling apologetically. Suddenly, I found myself very conscious of my wrinkled pink pajamas and my hair tightly pulled in a bun. Nevertheless, he walked up to me and his arms wrapped around my shivering form. "Happy birthday, Sadie. Anubis says the same." He wore the same clothes as Anubis did in my _ba _dream.

I didn't answer back for a moment. I just wrapped my arms around him, as if he will disappear right in front of me, and I can't do anything. I felt Walt's lips on my hair. "Anubis says sorry, by the way." He murmured. "He didn't wish to upset you on your birthday."

"I know." I answered. My eyes unfocused as I slipped my vision through the Duat. Anubis stood at the same spot as Walt, cradling me in his arms, and was smiling contritely. Why didn't I notice those dark circles under his less warm eyes? It wasn't there when I saw him in the Hall of Judgment. He shook his head, and it was a warning for me to slip back to reality. I felt the biting sting of tears behind my eyes. "It's getting worse, isn't it?" Walt didn't speak for what felt like an eternity. He must be having a silent conversation with Death Boy, with the way emotions were fleeting on his face.

"We'll talk after you celebrate your birthday." Walt said, his voice quivering. I wanted to protest, but I couldn't find my voice. I just bobbed my head, with a semblance of a smile. "I should leave you to get dressed, then, Sadie. Meet us in the dining room, yes?"

I nodded again, and scurried over to the bathroom. "Walt? Anubis?" I called, before I disappear beyond the bathroom's door, and before he took a step outside my room. Walt stopped in his tracks, and trailed his gaze at me. He seemed wary, and guarded, as if walls were brought up around him. And he seemed to be speaking with Anubis, but I didn't dwell on it.

"Yeah?" He answered.

"Don't disappear, will you?" I said, sounding like a desperate plea. "I forbid it."

He smiled and a low chuckle escaped his lips. "Wouldn't dream of it." Walt said, and walked up to me, giving me a lingering kiss on the forehead. "I love you, Sadie." He left the words hanging in the air of my room, and probably, just by a fraction, a flicker of hope was lit inside me. Maybe, just maybe Carter and I can save the Gods of Egypt. [Even if some of them tried to kill us and hate us, no?]

I probably stared into space while showering, and as soon as I got off the shower, steam already flooded the entire expanse of my room. Great. The sun had already gone up slightly in the east, bathing my room in an early morning radiance, which, I found honestly comforting. Shuffling of feet from the Great Room echoed throughout the house. I shrugged as I dressed myself with a black shirt, dark blue jeans and my trusty combat boots and streaked my hair with a blue color, matching my eyes. The _shen _amulet hung limply around my neck, and it was enough to give me relief when Walt and Anubis are not around.

I turned toward the doorway, and as soon as I turned the doorknob, a loud, piercing explosion ripped throughout Brooklyn House, enough to knock me to the floor. Panicked screams reverberated all through the house, followed by another explosion on the balcony of my room and another two floors down, sending broken glass and wood splinters across my room. I distantly heard Walt cried out for me. I felt tugging pain on my face and arms, and the cuts on it were wet with blood.

Was that a chicken sporting a sheep's wool? Or a sheep with chicken feathers? No, definitely a chimpanzee. A purple one. With cheese on its head. I couldn't quite describe the demon standing by my window, but I'm sure the rotten cheese on its head added a comical effect. [Note the sarcasm, will you?] I ripped through the fabric of reality, into the Duat, hoping and praying to whatever Gods of Egypt can hear me, that I could grab my staff from the Duat. I nearly lost my concentration when the demon stepped through my window, and knocked off my iPod from my bed stand, along with my speakers.

I wanted to scream bloody murder. My bloody iPod and my bloody speakers!

Just my luck, I couldn't get my staff. Another demon popped out of nowhere, which looked like the purple chimpanzee with rotten cheese, but instead of cheese, it had blueberry and waffles. And another appeared on my bed, with oatmeal bars, and ripped my bed coverings. How they got those breakfast meals on their heads, I decided I don't want to know.

"_N'dah!"_ I tried summoning a spell without my staff and bright blue hieroglyphics floated around in the air and enveloped me in a curtain of blue light. The chimpanzee with rotten cheese [And rotten stench, I might add.] pounced on me, and hitting the curtain of protective hieroglyphics squarely on the face. Normally, it would have withstood such rubbish form of physical attack; however, the blue light flickered and died down. Rotten cheese didn't hesitate to pounce on me once again, and I made a mad dash towards the kitchenette at the end of my room. Blueberry and waffles lunges for the refrigerator filled with my Ribena.

Gods, I am so tired. I felt I've been running an eternal marathon with that single spell.

"_If the Gods are weakening, then our magic must be also weakening."_

Ah, great!

Another explosion ripped through the defenses of Brooklyn House and the chimpanzees screeched deafeningly. Explosions of magic from the first and second floor resounded in my ears vaguely. I heard Carter's shouts. I heard Jaz ushering the young initiates to a safer area. Howls from the jackals loudly echoed. I heard Khufu shouting "Agh!"

"Sadie!" Walt bellowed angrily, worriedly, frenziedly, no, Anubis. No. I don't know. Their voices were muddled together.

Oatmeal bars charged at me, caught me by my shoulder and I crashed on the floor with a sickening thud. Someone screamed, a high – pitched voice, and I realized it was me. Dark spots were dancing in my eyes. Windows shuddered and burst. Something held me tightly around my neck. I can't breathe. "Walt!" I struggled to scream, but it came out as a breathless plea.

Then, nothing.

Darkness.

* * *

"_He won't save you, doll."_

"_He will, you disgusting, scallywag!"_

"_We'll see, then. Have fun." His hands tightened in the air, and the hieroglyphics peacefully floating in the air whisked past the metal bars of my caged prison and encircled my neck, leaving me struggling breathlessly. "Tas!"_

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**AUTHOR'S NOTE: **Thank you for reading, my lovelies! My first story from a book fandom. Yaaaay. Updates might be irregular, but I'm pretty sure I will be updating sometime in the future, whenever that will be. :) Title's lame, I know. Some concept from Norse mythology, and I am weirdly fascinated by it. Sorry about that. Might change if I can come up with something. Read and review, please. Favorites and follows are very much appreciated. Tell me how to improve my characterizations and the flow of the story.

**PS: **I'm looking for some awesome person who can help me do a cover for this story :) I'm a bit busy, as school starts _again._ Don't worry, I will update. Some of my stories are on hold because I have no idea what to do with them, and I vaguely lost interest. But rest assured, I am _not _dropping this. Really. I can't do that.


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